Evergreen Line finally open – over budget and late, contrary to the government’s claim

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Dec. 2, 2016

Evergreen Line finally opening – over budget and late, contrary to the government’s claim

COQUITLAM – The members of New Democrat Official Opposition are happy to see the Evergreen Line finally open, but would be even happier if the government’s claim that it was on budget and on time was actually true.

“We’re happy that the Evergreen Line is finally open, but it is two years late and $173 million over budget,” said Selina Robinson, New Democrat MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville.

Robinson was referring to the fact that in 2009, the government said that the province’s contribution would be $410 million and it would be open by 2014. In fact, the province’s contribution is $586 million so far – $173 million over budget – and it is two years late.

“Evergreen joins a long line of projects for this government that are late and over budget, in this case costing our transit system over a hundred million dollars that should have gone into improving services,” said David Eby, New Democrat Spokesperson for TransLink.

“We’re happy the Evergreen Line is finally complete, but this is just one transit line, in one area. Unfortunately, with the government playing endless transit funding games with the mayors of Metro Vancouver, at this rate commuters in other cities will wait for years before they see the buses and trains required to reduce gridlock and traffic.”